The band split in 2002 to allow Garrett to focus on his political career. He became a member of the Australian House of Representatives and the was the Australian Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts from 2007-2010. From 2010, he was the Australian Minister for Education. Garrett did not stand for re-election in 2013. The band has reunited since then for two benefit concerts: the 2005 WaveAid concert for Indian Ocean Tsunami victims and in March 2009 the band reformed for two shows in Canberra as a warm up for "Sound Relief" in Melbourne, a benefit concert for the Victorian Bushfire victims.
The Oils, as they are known to their fans, began as a progressive rock band called Farm in the early 1970s, then under the Midnight Oil name developed a reputation as an impressive and hard-working live act associated with the surfing community of Sydney. They became one of Australia's most respected bands, known for their live performances, and also for their activism and support for community groups and causes.
Midnight Oil's first two albums Midnight Oil and Head Injuries were originally released on an independent label, followed by the EP Bird Noises in 1980. Their third album, Place without a Postcard, was recorded in Great Britain with the respected producer Glyn Johns (Led Zeppelin, The Who) on the back of a brief tour of the UK.
Their fourth album, 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (spoken as "10 to 1"), marked both the Oil's major Australian breakthrough and the beginning of their successful association with producer Nick Launay. This album also saw considerable success in the college radio scene of the US, prompting a tour of North America.
Following on from 10-1, the Oils with Nick Launay recorded the fifth album Red Sails in the Sunset during a three month stint in Tokyo in 1984, becoming the first known western band to record an entire album in Japan. Red Sails was reasonably successful in Australia, featuring songs like Best of Both Worlds and Kosciuszko, but the album's quirky, experimental sound failed to make major inroads overseas. Also during 1984, frontman Peter Garrett was narrowly defeated in an election for the New South Wales, representing the Nuclear Disarmament Party (NDP).
In 1985, following the release of the EP Species Deceases the Oils embarked on a career-changing tour of remote Aboriginal communities of outback Australia with legendary Aboriginal group, the Warumpi Band. The tour led to the recording of Midnight Oil's major international breakthrough success Diesel and Dust, released in 1987 which featured their biggest international hit Beds Are Burning. The following album Blue Sky Mining, released in 1990 had two songs that topped the US Modern Rock charts, Blue Sky Mine and Forgotten Years. Both Diesel and Dust and Blue Sky Mining were produced with Warne Livesey.
Between 1988 and 1992, the band's Diesel and Dust and Blue Sky Mining discs became known worldwide, as did their political activism for causes ranging from nuclear disarmament to aboriginal rights and environmental issues. Their subsequent albums sold less well outside Australia, but the Oils maintained a following throughout the 1990s and into the new century.
The Midnight Oil lineup remained quite stable over the band's long career: Garrett as lead singer and harmonica, Jim Moginie on guitar and keyboards, Martin Rotsey on guitar, and Rob Hirst on drums. Andrew (Bear) James, the first bass player, left in 1980 due to ill health. Peter Gifford replaced him and in turn quit the band in 1987 citing the pressures of touring. New Zealander Bones Hillman, (ex Swingers) replaced him, and remained with the group until its dissolution in 2002. Gary Morris was the band's manager and effective sixth member (often credited with the simple title "Business, no singing" on albums) throughout.
In 2004 Peter Garrett was elected to Federal Parliament as the Labor member for Kingsford-Smith in Sydney. In November 2007 he became Minister for Arts in the Australian government as a member of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's front bench. He retired from Parliament in 2013. Jim Moginie continues his involvement with music through his own band, The Family Dog and as a producer for artists such as Sarah Blasko. Rob Hirst is also involved with several musical projects such as Hirst and Greene, Ghostwriters, The Angry Tradesmen and The Backsliders. Moginie, Hirst and Martin Rotsey continue to play and record together in instrumental band The Break.
The band reformed in 2016, launched a world tour in 2017 and released the live album Armistice Day: Live at the Domain, Sydney with an accompanying film. 2020 saw the release of the mini-album called The Makarrata Project. Bass guitarist Bones Hillman died on 7 November 2020 of cancer. On 18 May 2021, the band announced their upcoming thirteenth album, Show of Hands, the last recordings to feature Hillman. The first single, released on 28 October, was Rising Seas.
Shakers and Movers
Midnight Oil Lyrics
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The harlot and the autocrat, are they driving you further down
The season's rhymes, they anchor me, against the raging tide
Take you to the last wild place, skin and the stars they embrace
A caveman could a saint become, on a hospital ward on the Somme
We can dive into distant amoebas, our wings could melt in the sun
I can shake, I can move, but I live can't without your love
Our poet Henry Lawson, he named them, the lay'em out brigade
Here they come, there they go, oh great god of development
Don't really know you yet
Coastline hosed down washed away, economics now there's nothing left
Tomorrow's child takes concrete footsteps
And they'll drink champagne or be damned
And the storm is breaking now, yes the storm is crashing down
(Moginie/Garrett)
The lyrics in "Shakers and Movers" by Midnight Oil blast capitalist greed and the destruction of the environment. The lyrics start with an invitation to leave a barren landscape controlled by corrupt leaders. The song stresses the importance of preserving nature and its ability to offer us a sense of belonging, as seen in the line "The seasons' rhymes, they anchor me against the raging tide." The lyrics refer to the "last wild place" where the skin and the stars embrace. Here, a "caveman could a saint become," emphasizing the importance of the environment and our connection to it. We are then beckoned to "dive into distant amoebas," which hints at evolution and the importance of all life forms.
The song brings attention to the way humans have created a destructive culture, turning to industrialism and an obsession with growth rather than preserving the earth. The lyrics mention the harlot and the autocrat, who represent those chasing after money, power, sex, and the control it offers. The singer can't help but shake and move to the music, but ultimately concludes that they cannot live without love, hinting that humans need less of the greed and more love.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you come on down the line, away from barren ground
Can you please leave this desolate place and come with me?
The harlot and the autocrat, are they driving you further down
Are the temptations and authorities leading you to despair?
The season's rhymes, they anchor me, against the raging tide
The passage of time guides and supports me when life is tumultuous
Take you to the last wild place, skin and the stars they embrace
I want to bring you to the most untouched, beautiful location where we can feel at one with nature
A caveman could a saint become, on a hospital ward on the Somme
Even in the bleakest of places, the most unexpected people can transform for the better
We can dive into distant amoebas, our wings could melt in the sun
We can explore the unknown and push ourselves to our limits, even if it may lead to our downfall
I can shake, I can move, but I live can't without your love
I can put on a façade of confidence, but I truly need your love to be complete
I can break, Over you, but I live without your love
I can forget about you, but I will not truly live without your love
Our poet Henry Lawson, he named them, the lay'em out brigade
A famous poet, Henry Lawson, gave the name to those who demolish the natural environment for human progress
Here they come, there they go, oh great god of development
These destructive forces are always coming and going, all in the name of progress
Don't really know you yet
We don't fully understand this god of development and everything that comes with it
Coastline hosed down washed away, economics now there's nothing left
The beach has been polluted and ruined beyond repair by the pursuit of money and power
Tomorrow's child takes concrete footsteps
The future generation is living in a world built on concrete and human progress
And they'll drink champagne or be damned
They will either enjoy the luxuries of this concrete world or suffer the consequences
And the storm is breaking now, yes the storm is crashing down
The chaos and destruction caused by the pursuit of progress is reaching a critical point
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES MOGINIE, MARTIN ROTSEY, PETER GARRETT, ROBERT HIRST, WAYNE STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind